


A Loki by Another Name...

by RedKitsune



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Post-Avengers (2012), Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, Falling In Love, False Identity, Hiding in Plain Sight, Identity Reveal, Small Towns, fake death, teacher!Loki, teacher!oc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 09:10:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21134243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedKitsune/pseuds/RedKitsune
Summary: Audrey didn't expect to find herself falling hard and fast for the new Mythology teacher. It was wrong, they were coworkers but he was just so damn perfect. Luke had that easy charm of a Brit, bright blue eyes and waves of black hair that just set her heart running off without her. Picture perfect dates and late nights spent together grading papers made it all the harder to resist him. Try as she might, she fell head over heels for Luke.Loki, freshly beaten and weakened from battle still manages to send a shade of himself to sit in Asgard's prisons. It was far more appealing to him to find a small town where he wouldn't be recognized, assume an identity for a few weeks and lay low while he recovered. What could go wrong?Thor wasn't looking forward to telling his new friends that the only person he could think of that could help was Loki AND that he had somehow misplaced his brother on Earth. It was sure to not go over well with their recent history.





	A Loki by Another Name...

Audrey giggled to herself, kicking up a pile of leaves as she made her way toward her apartment. The cool fall air kissed her cheeks and gave her breath a hint of winter fog. She was coming home from her sixth date with Luke and everything felt like a teenage dream. He was the handsome mythology teacher who had recently joined the high school. He had seemed to come out of nowhere, blowing into town with his slick dark waves and smart suits.

He captivated her the moment she saw him. When he asked her to dinner a few weeks before the start of the school year, she jumped on the chance. It wasn’t something she could explain but she was so pleased to be noticed by him. One date lead to a second and somehow, they ended up a couple just in time for the beginning of the school year.

Or, she assumed that was what they were. It wasn’t a conversation they had officially had. But he walked her through the school halls, holding her hand for all to see. Teenagers were brutal and you didn’t do that unless you were real, right? It was a conversation she knew she need to have with him but it could wait.

Today had been too perfect to mar it with such a serious talk. They had spent the afternoon holed up together in her classroom, grading papers over tea. Once the mountain was concurred, he had treated her out to dinner in the nicest place in town as if it were nothing.

After a parting kiss, she was left walking through the night on cloud nine. It was safe enough that she didn't give it any thought. Still, when she turned to look behind her, Luke was standing there on the sidewalk in the distance watching her walk away. He'd offered to walk her home, he always did but it was only a few blocks, almost a straight shot. He lived a few blocks in the other direction, it was silly to walk all the way down here only to turn around and walk back.

Over dinner, they had planned to spend Halloween together. It was his idea and judging by the things he had planned for them to do, he had taken his plans straight from a teenage girl's dream. Audrey was beyond excited for it. Hay rides, apple picking, pumpkin patches, it would be perfect. There was no way it could even begin to go sideways.

~~~~~<3

“You mean to tell me Loki is alive and on Earth?” Thor looked sheepishly down at the reflective surface of the polished metal tabletop as Tony raged at him. “You didn’t think to mention that, Point Break, when you found out? He’s dangerous.”

“I’ve been watching him.” Thor offered.

“How? You don’t even know where he is!"

How long has he been on earth, do you know?" Banner asked from where he stood, not paying attention to much going on in the room. His attention was more focused on the matter at hand, a device made of magic and technology, woven together and ticking down seconds. What would happen when the timer reached zero, they didn't know. But it was probably a bad thing. It seemed to always be a bad thing.

“There haven’t been any issues, have there?” Thor offered as if that was a good enough excuse and in his mind, it was. Humans were such short sighted creatures.

“We need to find him, now.” Tony pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I agree. He would be of great assistance. He is one of Asagrd’s most skilled in the magical arts. Mother taught him herself.”

Another set of eyes on this would be good." The others ignored Banner's input but he didn't notice, too busy turning the problem over in front of him, trying to find the solution.

“Or maybe we need to find him before he decides he’s having a bad day and needs to take over the world again.” Tony snapped.

“There were reasons for that- I’m sure.” Thor pressed.

“Like what?” Tony didn’t leave him a chance to answer before turning and setting his attention to the computer. All he needed to do was set a facial recognition program and have Friday scan all the security film in the world and if he was lucky, Loki would be on it. How hard could it be to find one rogue god?

~~~~~<3

Audrey was early as she made her way up the steps. The air around her was crisp and but her black pea coat kept her warm enough for now. In a few short weeks, it would be too cold for the stylish coat and it would be replaced with one that would make her resemble a blueberry. The cafe they were to meet at was a small local shop, like most shops in town. Her hair was curled into a bouncing tumble of waves and she had spent far more time on her makeup than normal.

Luke was inside, black waves caressing his shoulders from a recent trim. He greeted her with a coffee in hand and a warm hug. Before she knew it, off they went. What they didn’t see was the people sitting spread out in the restaurant across the street watching them.

As the couple walked down the sidewalk, the group of people made subtle work of gathering outside. They stood on the sidewalk, some pretending to look at a tourist book while others looked after the couple walking in the distance. They didn't expect to find Loki laughing with a women, fingers intertwined.

“That was rather unexpected.” Tony broke the silence as the others agreed. "Let's go get him before something has a chance to go wrong."

Let's observe for now. She is going willingly enough with him and it looks almost as if my brother is courting her." Thor offered, keeping his voice low to avoid drawing any more attention to their group.

So he has more time to hurt her?" Tony scoffed.

Stark, I'm well aware of my brother's past sins. But this has nothing to do with your issues." Thor scolded, putting the issue at rest for the time being.

~~~~~<3

“I had a lot of fun today.” Audrey broke the silence as she looked down at their hands, fingers intertwined. They’d been walking back through the town for a bit. The moon was high and the chill in the air had much more of a bite to it.

“As did I.” Luke agreed, glancing down at her, taking in her thin pea coat and red cheeks. “Are you chilled?”

“Oh, I’m fine.” She lied.

“Nonsense.” He shrugged out of his coat and draped it over her shoulders. The warmth soaked into her. “What would the students say if I let their favorite English teacher come down with a cold?”

“Oh yes, we can’t have that. That would ruin your reputation.” She laughed, drawing a chuckle from the man she knew as Luke.

“Time to stop playing house, Reindeer Games. Step away from the girl and come quietly.” A group of people stepped up to them. She recognized the man speaking as Tony Stark and the larger man as Thor.

“I beg your pardon?” Luke scoffed, eyebrow raised.

“I think you’ve got him confused with someone else.” Audrey offered, confused herself as Luke pulled her behind him.

“My apologies, milady but we need a moment with Loki.” Thor offered. Luke's frame was stiff and tense as she held onto his hand still.

“Luke?”

“Loki.” Tony corrected her.

“Is that true?” She pulled her fingers from his.

“Yes. Audrey, let me-”

“You lied to me.”

“We don’t really have time for this.” Tony said but was ignored.

“Why?” She demanded, stepping out to his side. She didn't show any fear of him, though perhaps she should have. “What was this? What was tonight? Just a game?”

“No-” She cut him off.

“I cared for you. Does that matter at all or was it all for your entertainment while you, what? Killed time waiting for the Avengers to find you and take you away?”

Tony moved to step up, say something but Thor rested a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Let them sort this out. It can wait for a bit longer. Let’s give them a moment.”

She hardly registered the team walking a bit down the street. Loki reached out for her but she took a harsh step away. He decided right then that he would not do this with her now, in front of the eyes of Thor and his friends.

She stepped away harshly, doing her best to yank her arm out of his reach. He was faster by far and his strong hand pulled her back to him. “Get away from-”

His arm circled around her abdomen as her momentum carried her to him. She tripped over her own feet and crashed against his chest. Gray clouds burst forth and swallowed them before winking out as suddenly as they came. When the team looked back to check on the commotion, they found the sidewalk empty.

At no point did she feel fear of him. It was hard to fear a man she had spent so much time getting to know. This wasn't the first time she was alone with him. He didn't look any different now. She couldn’t put the idea of the man she had been getting to know, who had been taking her on such magical dates, who had shown up in this small town with the man who’s pale face had been all over the news during his failed attempt to take over the world.

The next moment, she was standing in what looked like her small living room. She’d spent the night grading papers sitting at her dining table, sharing coffee with Loki more than once. She tired to remember what she knew of the man who was defeated in New York as she turned, pulling herself from his arms easy enough.

There was a moment where instinct took over. Her hand sailed through the air before she could even stop to think how terrible of an idea it was to slap a god. One who had been billed by the media as insane. One she had been tricked into caring for. He had tricked her into caring for him, hadn't he?

“Perhaps I deserved that.” Loki rubbed his jaw with something resembling more affection than pain. “Will you let me speak now?”

“Do I have a choice? Where are we, really, anyway?”

“I suppose not.” Loki mused. “And we’re exactly where it looks like we are, in your living room. We don’t have long before they track me down.”

“Why? I cared for you and it was all a waste.” Tears gathered in her eyes as she crossed her arms in front of her.

“Was it?” Loki asked. His voice was low low and gentle as he reached out, resting his hands on her arms. His thumbs were caressing the curve of her shoulders. It was so hard to tell herself that she should be scared of him when the man looking at her looked no different than the man she knew.

“I’m not an idiot. Stop playing me for one.” She sniffled and it was an ugly sound in her own ears. “Why? Why ‘Luke’? That’s a dumb name, a step down from ‘Loki’.”

“The name? Simply a play on my own name. One of the names mankind has given me through the years is Luki, one letter off.” He shrugged. “It was good enough. I hadn’t planned to stay for long.”

“And I was, what? Just entertainment?” She scoffed and in a moment of frustration, Loki shook her sharply by the shoulders.

“No. I intended to only be here for a few weeks while I recovered strength. But than-”

“You what? Found a toy? God, I can’t believe-”

“Bloody hell! Will you shut up and let me speak?!” Loki roared, voice demanding her attention. “I stayed because of you!”

“What?” Tears spilled from her eyes now and Loki’s hold softened. One hand moved to cup her cheek, fingertips wiping tears away.

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m in love with you.” He didn’t give her a chance to turn him down, to say anything at all. “I don’t need you to say anything at the moment. I only needed you to know before they could interfere. I don’t expect that you could-”

“Shut up and kiss me.” What the future holds, she couldn’t say. What she did know was that her heart beat for him. She knew that she cared for him, regardless of if he was Luke, Luki or Loki. It would take time to merge the two identities into one and she had so many questions but none of that mattered in the moment.

He did as she asked. When her front door opened, Tony’s hand on the knob, Loki was kissing her softly as a wave of magic shimmered over him. His smart suit disappeared in a shimmer of green and leather garb replaced it. The shift happened under her fingertips yet she didn't open her eyes. In a moment she went from kissing Luke the teacher to Loki the prince and yet, the way he kissed her remained the same.

When their lips parted, she gazed up at him and admitted for everyone to hear, “I love you.”


End file.
